KAO Optical Products

The US Compact Disc manufacturing branch of KAO Infosystems Co. started its business after acquiring the Lancaster, Pennsylvania plant American Helix in 1993. They expanded soon with another plant in Dublin, Ireland (KAO Ireland) and one in Fremont, California, United States within a year. They also manufactured audio cassettes. The Lancaster, Pennsylvania plant was bought back in 1996 by the original owner of the plant and renamed Echodata Media. In late 1998 Zomax Optical Media, Inc. (Zomax Optical) acquired the business of Kao Infosystems Company (including the CD manufacturing plants in Fremont, CA and Arnprior, Canada) and Kao Infosystems Ireland, Ltd. (including the CD plant in Dublin and a diskette duplication facility in Langen, Germany) from Japanese parent company KAO Corp. CDs pressed at the Lancaster plant feature Kao-American Helix in the matrix. If they do, please enter them there.